Only
very recently has computer memory required heatsinks, and more often than
not this is because users are overclocking and over-volting RAM into the
stratosphere. It's curious because with each successive generation of
DDR, the stock voltage it requires according to JDEC standards has actually
decreased. Memory speeds have steadily risen, as have the transistor counts in each DRAM as memory
density has increased, so the heatspreader has become standard window dressing.

Brands like Corsair and OCZ have invested a
lot into fancy and flamboyant memory thermal solutions for their top
of the line overclocker RAM, where some degree of memory cooling
is necessary. Mainstream RAM, be it DDR/DDR2 or DDR3, doesn't require extensive cooling when run at stock speeds. Overclocked memory generally does fine with a
fan pointed in its direction... yet memory temperatures are much less
important than the quality of the DRAM.

In any event it's what
consumers demand that ultimately matters. The memory heatspreader has all but
become standard equipment - whether it's genuinely required or not. For
those users who are unsatisfied by the stock heatspreaders on their performance
memory, there are a handful of after market RAM heatspreaders like the
Xigmatek MAC-S3501 Frostytech is checking out today on the market. The tricky
bit is how to install these heatspreaders without destroying your RAM in
the process.

Xigmatek's MAC-S3501 memory heatspreaders
are intended for DDR, DDR2 and DDR3 memory modules, and assuming the sticks of memory
you have are bare, installation is a quick affair. A thin strip of jelly
silicon thermal interface is laid down on the DRAM, and then
the anodized aluminum Xigmatek MAC-S3501 heatspreaders are set in
place. If on the other hand your memory already has heatspreaders that are
attached with adhesive or frag tape, there's a good chance you may destroy your
memory if you attempt to remove the heatspreaders.

Our experience removing heatspreaders from old
memory has been successful when the DRAM is the TSOP-II formfactor, and the
adhesive isn't too sticky. Most early DDR2 DRAM was TSOP-II, and almost every
DDR DRAM we've come across is. Later generation DDR-II, and DDR3 is packaged in
a BGA IC formfactor. That kind of RAM package doesn't suffer flexing very well,
and we've destroyed some very expensive memory attempting to remove
heatspreaders.

In this article Frostytech is looking at Xigmatek's
MAC-S3501 air cooled memory heatspreaders, but unlike our normal CPU heatsink
reviews we won't be doing any temperature measurements.

The Xigmatek MAC-S3501 heatspreaders are made from 0.6mm
thick anodized aluminum sheet. Two thin conductive silicon thermal interface
strips are included in each package, which is good for one stick of memory. To
encapsulate a dual channel pair of memory, you'll need to buy two Xigmatek
MAC-S3501 heatspreader kits.

The design of the Xigmatek MAC-S3501 heatspreaders is
nothing special, except for a small 30mm fan inset into a tab which rises
40mm above the top of the memory DIMM. Once installed, the heatspreaders widen
the RAM to a thickness of 8mm. On some motherboards you will be able to install
memory modules with the MAC-S3501 heatspreaders side by side, on others you will
not.

The 30mm fan is set within the body of the
heatspreaders, and its 6.5mm thickness allows a 2.5CFM rate of airflow to pass
through the two sheets of aluminum. A standard 3-pin power connector is supplied
at the end of a 150mm long cable. The fan rotates at 7500RPM, and is barely
audible, if at all. Compared to passive aluminum memory heatspreaders the
Xigmatek MAC-S3501 modules will decrease temperatures by some degree.

The Xigmatek MAC-S3501 RAM heatspreaders stand
69mm tall, with the upper tab above the RAM measuring 89mm across
and 40mm tall. A 6.5mm thick 30mm fan is set into the 8mm
space the heatspreaders occupy, power is supplied by a 3-pin motherboard fan
header.

The rear of the orange Xigmatek MAC-S3501 RAM heatspreaders is solid. There are some
indents to stiffen the metal, and at either edge are spaces for springy clips
to lock the heatspreaders in place firmly. The aluminum is 0.6mm thick.

The silicon based thermal interface strips are 0.5mm thick, and
slightly tacky.

Xigmatek's MAC-S3501 RAM heatspreaders are easy
to install on bare DDR or DDR2 memory modules, and will likely improve memory
cooling over passive heatspreaders by some degree. The 30mm fan is powerful
enough to ensure moderate air movement between the two aluminum surfaces, noise
isn't an issue.

Based on our
experiences, we do NOT recommend removing heatspreaders from DDR2/DDR3 memory that
use BGA DRAM packaging, it's just too easy to damage the RAM. Unfortunately,
that difficulty removing pre-installed memory heatspreaders limits your options
if you believe memory cooling is an issue inside your PC. Fragtape isn't as
effective as true thermal interface material, mostly because fragtape isn't
capable of filling the space appropriately.. but if that's what has been used
you're basically stuck.

In our opinion, after market RAM heatspreaders are a
luxury item with limited usefulness. A well positioned 120mm or 92mm fan will do
wonders for memory temperatures in most situations. Xigmatek's MAC-S3501 RAM
heatspreaders seem to be well thought out, but I suspect it's a bit of a
catch-22. Modern DDR2 modules will most likely already have heatspreaders, and
older generation bare sticks of memory generally don't require
anything more than decent airflow. If you disagree with this point of view, take
comfort in the fact that Xigmatek supply silicon-based thermal interface pads,
not double sided tape.

Related Articles:

For more reviews on the latest heatsinks and
cooling solutions, rely on FrostyTech's inventory of 400+ heatsink reviews. Here are a
few other articles that you might enjoy as well...